Caissons Wrestlers Win In Style at Tiger Classic

22 Caissons wrestlers took to the mat on the opening weekend of the season at the Hargrave Military Academy Tiger Classic Wrestling Tournament and they returned to FMS as champions.

The Caissons won the Team Championship at the Tiger Classic in Chatham, VA. They stepped on the mat unproven and stepped off well with a lot to be proud of. “We knew we could be tough,” said wrestling coach, SFC/E7 Richard Chiarolanzio, “we knew we would compete, and we set goals for this tournament and we met every one of them. It was just a great day and a great way to start of a long season.”

A number wrestlers who are new to the team this season found out just what it’s like to wrestle in a match not held on the stage in the FMS Gym, and it was a lesson they will not soon forget. According to Coach C, “every one of the new wrestlers really stepped up and gave a great showing. No one gave less than 100%, no one quit on a match even when losing…that was the difference in the end, giving an effort of a champion even in a loss.” And those pulling off wins did not just win on points, they worked hard for the pin as that’s where all the bonus points come from in a tournament.

“Winning by over 25 points over the second place team is a HUGE win in a tournament. I am extremely proud of each and every one that stepped on the mat today. They will celebrate this win and glow in it for the next day or so,” the coach noted.

Monday it’s back to work for the team in order to get ready to open the Dual Match portion of the season with a home quad. A quad is held with 4 teams so that each team will wrestle 3 matches in one night. The Caissons will Wrestle Randolph Macon Academy, Grace Christian School and then close the night with Massanutten Military Academy. A win over MMA would give Fishburne an early season sweep over all the Military Schools in VA.  

Overall, FMS finished the tournament with 5 Individual Champions out of 14 weight classes and competed in over half of the Championship Matches with 8 wrestlers in the finals. This gave FMS more wrestlers in a Final match than any other school as well as more individual champions than any of the other competing schools.

Off the mat, Coach C and the Fishburne family had even more cause to take pride in their team. After all the wrestling was done and the Medals were given out, and the Team Championship had been announced, Coach C was enjoying the moment and watching his team high five and hug each other celebrating their efforts. Just then a parent from another school (HMA) came forward to shake his hand and tell the coach how much he and the other parents sitting with him enjoyed watching Fishburne’s young men. He complimented the team on the way in which they conducted themselves throughout the tournament; the way they respected their coach and the way they never stopped working. “It was a joy to watch,” this parent noted.

Reflecting on this, Coach C noted, “these are the moments that I just look at our team and say to myself “I have to be the luckiest coach out there to have these young men on a team that I coach.”

“This is not the first time that this has happened,” Coach C went on, “so it’s not a one-time thing. The last time it happened it was at that VIC Championship last season when I was approached by a parent from VES… not just any parent, but the father of one of the most prominent wrestling families in VES History (they have 4 sons who were all VIC Champions). His comment was that in all the years he has watched VIC Wrestling, he has never seen such pride in a team out of FMS and it was a joy to see these young men wrestle and act the way they do.”
Individual Tournament Champions

120 Pounds —  Brian Farrell Winning all his matches by pin

126 Pounds — Andre Lenardson Wrestled better in each match against some VERY TOUGH Competition Wrestled better then he did all last season.

132 Pounds — Bevan Morrison-Rogers. Again willing all his matches by pin

182 Pounds — Michael Blackburn. Also winning all his matches by pin, looking stronger then he did last season too

195 Pounds —  Brandon Campbell, This one was the greatest moment as Brandon was filling in for Novak Porter who was taking the SAT. Brandon is a first year wrestler, and this was his first ever wrestling match outside of practice room here at FMS. He has listened and learned and did an OUTSTANDING Job again winning all his matches by pin with a pin in the finals over wrestler from FUMA

Tournament Runner Ups:

113 Pounds — Joseph Baan, Wrestled a great tournament and lost in the finals to a very good wrestler

145 Pounds — “Chuck” Norris, Also wrestled a very good tournament but lost in the finals to one of the top public school wrestlers in the Tournament

220 Pounds — Birane Sene. Did great job as he was losing in the first round and came back to win late by pin. Then advanced to the finals where he also lost to a top public school wrestler.

 Third Place:

152 Pounds — James Park, did a great job today against some tough competition and still finished in 3rd place

4th Place Finishers:

106 Pounds — Thomas Fosdick. Thomas gave up an ave of 25 pounds to every one he wrestled and lost in the 3rd place match 10 – 8 in a great match

120 Pounds — Petis Watson another first year wrestler did a great job losing in the 3rd place match 7-4 in a very close match.

138 Pounds — Brandon Allen. Brandon had a good day at one of the toughest over all weight classes

160 Pounds — Harold McCoo. Harold did a GREAT job as a first year wrestler to fight his way to 4th place and lost in the 3rd place match by just 2 points in  hard fought match

170 Pounds — Sebastian Lind Another first year wrestler that did a great job to finish in the top 4 today

285 Pounds — Allan Davis First year on the FMS Team and several years from his last match did  a great job was in all his matches and will be a big threat as the season goes on